Book-support



(No Model.) Y

' A. H. WARD.

' BOOK SUPPORT.

No. 490,379. Patented Jan, 24, 1893.

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STATES ATENT FFICE.

YARTEMAS H. WARD, or WIOHITA, KANSAS.

BOOK-SUPPORT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 490,379, dated January24, 1893.

Application filed February 16, 1892. Serial No. 421,712. (No model.)

To a whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ARTEMAS I-I. WARD, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at WVichita, in the county of Sedgwick and State ofKansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inBook-Supports, of which the following is a specification, referencebeing had therein to the accompanying drawings and the lettersandfigures of reference thereon, forming a part of this specification, inwhich Figure 1, isa front view of a section of a book case or rack,having thereon a number of books, representing one book removed, and myimproved support applied as in use. Fig. 2, a top view of the same,showing but two adjacent books. Fig. 3, a perspective view of the booksupport, and Fig. 4, a side view of the same, showing a blank librarycard in the card holder thereof.

This invention relates to certain improvements in a device forsupporting books on a shelf; to prevent the books inclining or fallingagainst one another where certain adjacent books have been removed fromthe shelf, and for holding a card for indicating the book removed, thepersonltaking the book and such other reference, pertaining to the book,which the librarian may desire to note upon the card; the constructionand arrangement of which are fully set forth and explained in thefollowing specification and pointed out in the claims.

The object of this invention is, toprovide a device which may besubstituted for books which have been removed from the shelves of alibrary; which will occupy the space formerly occupied by the removedbook or books; and bear against the adjacent books to support them intheir proper position, in order that they may not assume improperposition and disorder the library, and also to provide means of holdinga card adapted to have entered thereon the record of the book thesupport substitutes.

Referring to the drawings, the support is shown complete in Fig. 3, andconsists of a single piece of spring wire, and in forming the supportthe wire is primarily bent to form a rectangular frame having two sidesof greater length than the other two sides, bringing the ends of thewire to meet centrally at one short side, where they are bent at rightangle from said side and a portion, adjacent the said side, spirallytwisted together, as shown at 4.. At the-terminal of said spiral twistthe wire ends are again bent, in reverse directions to extend parallelwith the said frame side, as shown at 5 5. At a point equidistant fromthe junction of the spiral twist each of said wires is given a threefourths coil, in reverse directions, as shown at 6 6.

which brings the terminal portions 7 '7 to a position extending towardthe frame and parallel with the twisted portion 4, and further in thusshaping said terminal portions they are brought to bear against theparts 5-5. and against the frame side, as shown at 2 2; which portionsof the wire 4. 5 6 and 7 in conjunction with the adjacent frame side,form a card holder, in which the parts 2 2, of the frame, and the parts4 and 5 of the extension form a backrest or support for a card, and thewire terminals form spring arms for clamping on the face of a card tohold it against its back support.

To form or shape the book supporting portion of the device, the saidframe is bent or coiled, at a point about central of each longer side asshown at 3, 3, thus dividing the frame into two parts yieldinglyconnected, which parts I have numbered 1 and 2, that they may be known,one from the other in this description, and in making the bends or coils3 3, the frame parts 1 and 2 are brought to extend practically in onedirection or may be arranged converging from their bend or coil and areslightly curved, in body, from each other, as shown.

In use the support rests with one of the longer sides of the frame down,and with the shorter sides vertical, and when placed on a shelf tooccupy the space formerly occupied by a removed book, the end bearingthe bend or coils 3 3, is entered first, the frame being pushed inbetween the adjacent books in such manner as to bring the frame parts 1and 2 to bear against opposite books as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, when theyielding qualities of the support adapt the said parts 1 and 2 to becontracted or expanded to properly fill the space, and at the same time,by means of the tension of the bends or coils 3 3, exert sufficientforce to support the books against which IOC said parts bear. Suchposition of the frame brings the card holder at or near the front edgeof the shelf, or it may extend a little beyond, as shown in Fig. 2, inorder that a card in the holder may be plainly seen.

0 represents a form of blank card adapted as a record card to be placedin the holder, as is represented in Fig. 4:. The form of card may be,however, of any suitable character, which may be deemed suitable foreither past or present record of the book represented by the card.

In instances where the book removed is larger than the usual Width offrame of support, the support may be adjusted to accommodate itself tofill such space as the removal of such book would make, by simplyspreading apart the parts 1 and 2, in so doing slightly bending thebends or coils 3 3. Also Where two or three books are removed at oneplace, one holder may have placed in it a card for each book removed,or, if so desired several supports may be arranged side by side, havingplaced between them a temporary partition, such as a paper board or likepartition.

Having thus described my invention What I claim as new and useful anddesire to secure by Letters Patent is as follows.

1. A book support for libraries, consisting of the two part Wire frame 5the said parts being yieldingly connected together, and adapted to exertpressure in opposite directions; and of a card holder incorporated inthe construction of one frame part, substantially as and for the purposeset forth.

2. The herein described book support comprising the opposite frame parts1 and 2, connected together by means of bends or coils as set forth; andthe card holder fixed to one of said parts and consisting of the partsto form a back support, and the spring arms for clamping the face of acard, substantially as specified and shown.

ARTEMAS H. WARD. Vitnesses:

WM. J. HUTCHINS, V. B. HAGIN.

